Kvantisoinnin

Kvantisoinnin, meaning quantization in English, is a fundamental concept in signal processing and digital communications. It refers to the process of mapping a continuous range of values to a finite set of discrete values. In simpler terms, it's like rounding a number to the nearest whole number or to a specific number of decimal places. This is essential when converting analog signals, which have a continuous range of amplitudes, into digital signals, which can only represent a finite number of distinct amplitude levels.

The process of quantization involves dividing the entire range of possible signal amplitudes into a certain number of intervals, called quantization levels. Each interval is then represented by a single discrete value, typically the midpoint of the interval. The analog signal's amplitude is then approximated by the closest quantization level. The number of quantization levels directly impacts the accuracy of the digital representation. More levels lead to a finer resolution and a more faithful representation of the original analog signal, but also require more bits to store each quantized value.

Quantization is an irreversible process, meaning that some information is lost during the conversion from analog to digital. This loss of information is known as quantization error or quantization noise. The magnitude of this error depends on the step size between quantization levels. Smaller step sizes result in lower quantization error. Various techniques are employed to minimize the impact of quantization error, such as using more bits for representation or employing companding methods, which non-linearly quantize the signal to provide better accuracy for low-amplitude signals. Kvantisoinnin is a critical step in analog-to-digital conversion (ADC) and is present in virtually all digital systems that interact with the real world.